4Xpansion Pass [4XP] Mod Series Announcement + Open Door for Ideas and Suggestions

[Zegangani]

Thanks for the support and the nice words, @Saxo Grammaticus , very appreciated!! ^^

 

[Amadhe]

Hello Zegangani.
I'm not really a person who enjoys posting on forums, but after seeing nea_barajas comment, I felt compelled to say that I have faith in your abilities.
I'm also willing to wait several years for a masterpiece than forcing you to rush to make a mod you feel would be inadequate.
Also, I can relate to your lack of freetime, and your regret in telling a group about an idea you planned to make, but ended up not meeting your own deadlines.
For me, it was a sortof Homebrew Macro 4X Style DnD Session I promised to GM, and still haven't finished designing the Campaign for.

 

[Zegangani]

Thanks a lot @Amadhe for the kind words! I appreciate it that you took the Time to post this, even though you don't usually post on Forums !
And don't worry, I hope to finish it much sooner ^^

All the beautiful things take Time, wish you all the luck with the 4X Style DnD Session Campaign! Having already seen your Civ VI Concepts/Ideas I have no doubt you'll also do a great Job with the Campaign!!

 

[nudden]

I myself am glad that there are talented modders like you who can do more complex things with .lua .... I play Civ 6 a lot in MP and just hope that Firaxis fix a least the Asset limit bug and release the .dll. Because then u can finally make the AI better (like now in Civ 5). My hope with ur work is that there sometimes will be a complete modpack with some cool mechanics and less desyncs ...
Thank u for being with us Zengangani!!!

 

[Zegangani]

I myself am glad that there are talented modders like you who can do more complex things with .lua .... I play Civ 6 a lot in MP and just hope that Firaxis fix a least the Asset limit bug and release the .dll. Because then u can finally make the AI better (like now in Civ 5). My hope with ur work is that there sometimes will be a complete modpack with some cool mechanics and less desyncs ...
Thank u for being with us Zengangani!!!

Thank you for the high praise, and I'm very happy to hear you feel that way !

Fixing the Asset Limit Bug and the release of the DLL for Civ6 are also my main Wishes from the Devs. I myself have no Experience with C++ to mod the DLL, but I would learn it if the DLL would be released (just like I learned lua (and still do) without any prior coding XP). The DLL wouldn't actually be necessary if they just exposed more lua functions/methods (like for AI, Diplomacy...etc.) and made some things more moddabe and less hardcoded (Trade Routes, Espionage, Tourism...etc.), which I really hope they will expose to us in a possible final update patch for Civ6.

Unfortynately, one thing that I probably won't be able to provide with 4XP is Multiplayer Compatibility. Most of the things in 4XP will be modded using lua, so a lot of scripting that may cause MP Desyncs. There are some ways of coding that might prevent MP Desyncs, but it's time intensive bc it makes the coding process less smouth (like with constantly having to check if a method is working as intended). Annother Reason being that I don't have a 2nd PC to test for MP Desycs with, so even if I wanted to make 4XP MP compatible (which I do), I wouldn't be able to, and doing the testing with another Person(s) wouldn't be fluid, bc there is too much stuff in 4XP to test. But in case there will be some Modder(s) who would be interested in making my stuff MP Compatible, then it would be totally fine for me if they do that, in fact, I would be very happy for that actually, and I would offer my help where I can, like incorporating the fixes into the Mod directly.

Though, if you're the NuDDen from Steam, who I know is a big fan of Warfare in the Game, then I think you'll like the 1st Pack in any case (Warfare and Domination is the main theme of the pack). Not everything will require lua, and most stuff will be optional/customizable, so you can at least enjoy some things in MP, even if not all of them.

 

[nudden]

Yes, I am the "NuDDen" from Steam ... Since I'm a father and also very busy in real life, I only manage to process relatively simple things in SQL and thus integrate them into my own personal modpack ("NuDDen's tweaks for WE lite"). I'm always happy when good new ideas come up in the workshop, which I can then add to my modpack. Unfortunately, the constant desyncs are always very frustrating If your mod appears in the workshop, I'll definitely test it with my buddy in MP
Cheers (perhaps we add each other on Steam someday )

 

[Genesis21]

Hello! Any progress?

 

[Zegangani]

Hello! Any progress?

Hello! And thanks for your Interest in this Project!

Sorry, for the late response (and the long Time since the last update). I know, a lot of People are looking forward to this, some more patiently, some less so, but I can assure you, the Project is still in the work and not abandoned.

I refrained from setting a Date for the Release, and also stopped giving estimate dates, because I miscalculated the Timing (my Free time and Time required to mod this Project) countless times. So in terms of a release Date, I will only say: it will come when it is ready. Currently it isn't. It is neither far nor close to that, though.

But I will give you some more Infos on the Progress so far:
- To my own surprise, a lot of the Mechanics turned out to be much more interconnected with existing Game systems as well as the new ones as I initially intended/planned. Which is the reason why some Mechanics will have to be active at all times, but that doesn't mean that they are not customizable.
- The more I was working on this, the more I realized that the Diplomacy in Civ6 will be a hindrance for this Mod to reach its Potential. Thus, I'm working on improving some parts of Diplomacy, including (but not limited to):

• Fear & Reputation as tools to measure the Threat and Trust level of a Player (1st measured on a Player-to-Player level, while the latter being global).
• Dynamic Traits: a return of the Civ 5's Personality Traits (mostly the militaristic ones, for now), but more dynamic (Ex: Alexander will be a 100% warmonger this Game, but a little less so in the next Game, like a 70% Warmonger).
• More diplomatic negative Effects for Warmongering, like with Embargoes, Tourism loss or even Joint-Wars against the Warmonger
• A complete rework of Grievances, where 3rd Parties' Opinion will be based on relationship with both, Player A and Player B
• Adding Demands/War Goals as a new Diplomatic Tools
• Some new Treaties/Agreements
• More flavored Casus-Bellis, and many new Ones
• Peace Negotiations: where the winner can force Demands (similar to how Humankind does it, but less forced on the winner side - but not the only way to enforce Demands)
• War Support (Player-to-Player)
• More Ways for 3rd Parties to influence 2 Players at War, like by demanding/requesting Peace for example (Threat/Fear Level plays a major role here)
• And for most of that, Diplomatic Favor will be a key and important Resource
• ...

That's a lot, yeah, but they're all necessary Solutions (or at least I hope so) for Problems that I encountered with the other new mechanics. So they're necessary to make the other Mechanics more impactful and more fun. I initially wanted to leave most diplomatic stuff for the last (6th) Pack, but I realized that adding new Mechanics, that even if the AI knew how to handle, they wouldn't be much fun if you couldn't use them directly with/against the AI and vice versa, so refinement to Diplomacy was important. And for now on, every Pack will try to improve Diplomacy a little bit. Then perhaps, little by little, we might get a formidable Diplomacy and AI. Who knows?!​

- The AI is also getting some improvements, including fixed and scripted behavior for some Actions
- War Weariness overhaul (different from War Support, as the latter is more P2P, and the former is Global)
- A more nuanced Subject-States Mechanic (the Design document I posted somewhere here is therefore outdated), that makes use of many of the new/reworked diplomatic tools (like 3rd Party Influence)
- Unit Classes with unique Abilities, and some Units even have their own Unique Bonus(es), making each Unit Class/Type Unique and useful.
- A Supply Mechanic that forces the Player to be more strategic with his Campaigns
- Better Forts
- Better (Rail-)Roads
- and many QoL improvements that I think many Players will like

As you may have noticed, I actually have doubled down on the Mechanics that were initially planned (this is slowly becoming a real Expansion lol), but I think this will only contribute to a much better mod overall in the end. And I want to release a Mod that Players will enjoy from the get-go, not just after many updates from Feedback on a half-finished mod. Not saying that I want to release a bug-free and fully balanced mod though, that's nigh impossible .

Anyway, I'm doing my best to finish the 1st Pack ASAP, and to make it as good and enjoyable as I can. And thanks for all your Support and Patience Guys! Bear with me some more Time, I'm sure this will be worth it !!

 

[Amadhe]

Hello! And thanks for your Interest in this Project!

Sorry, for the late response (and the long Time since the last update). I know, a lot of People are looking forward to this, some more patiently, some less so, but I can assure you, the Project is still in the work and not abandoned.

I refrained from setting a Date for the Release, and also stopped giving estimate dates, because I miscalculated the Timing (my Free time and Time required to mod this Project) countless times. So in terms of a release Date, I will only say: it will come when it is ready. Currently it isn't. It is neither far nor close to that, though.

But I will give you some more Infos on the Progress so far:
- To my own surprise, a lot of the Mechanics turned out to be much more interconnected with existing Game systems as well as the new ones as I initially intended/planned. Which is the reason why some Mechanics will have to be active at all times, but that doesn't mean that they are not customizable.
- The more I was working on this, the more I realized that the Diplomacy in Civ6 will be a hindrance for this Mod to reach its Potential. Thus, I'm working on improving some parts of Diplomacy, including (but not limited to):

• Fear & Reputation as tools to measure the Threat and Trust level of a Player (1st measured on a Player-to-Player level, while the latter being global).
• Dynamic Traits: a return of the Civ 5's Personality Traits (mostly the militaristic ones, for now), but more dynamic (Ex: Alexander will be a 100% warmonger this Game, but a little less so in the next Game, like a 70% Warmonger).
• More diplomatic negative Effects for Warmongering, like with Embargoes, Tourism loss or even Joint-Wars against the Warmonger
• A complete rework of Grievances, where 3rd Parties' Opinion will be based on relationship with both, Player A and Player B
• Adding Demands/War Goals as a new Diplomatic Tools
• Some new Treaties/Agreements
• More flavored Casus-Bellis, and many new Ones
• Peace Negotiations: where the winner can force Demands (similar to how Humankind does it, but less forced on the winner side - but not the only way to enforce Demands)
• War Support (Player-to-Player)
• More Ways for 3rd Parties to influence 2 Players at War, like by demanding/requesting Peace for example (Threat/Fear Level plays a major role here)
• And for most of that, Diplomatic Favor will be a key and important Resource
• ...

That's a lot, yeah, but they're all necessary Solutions (or at least I hope so) for Problems that I encountered with the other new mechanics. So they're necessary to make the other Mechanics more impactful and more fun. I initially wanted to leave most diplomatic stuff for the last (6th) Pack, but I realized that adding new Mechanics, that even if the AI knew how to handle, they wouldn't be much fun if you couldn't use them directly with/against the AI and vice versa, so refinement to Diplomacy was important. And for now on, every Pack will try to improve Diplomacy a little bit. Then perhaps, little by little, we might get a formidable Diplomacy and AI. Who knows?!​

- The AI is also getting some improvements, including fixed and scripted behavior for some Actions
- War Weariness overhaul (different from War Support, as the latter is more P2P, and the former is Global)
- A more nuanced Subject-States Mechanic (the Design document I posted somewhere here is therefore outdated), that makes use of many of the new/reworked diplomatic tools (like 3rd Party Influence)
- Unit Classes with unique Abilities, and some Units even have their own Unique Bonus(es), making each Unit Class/Type Unique and useful.
- A Supply Mechanic that forces the Player to be more strategic with his Campaigns
- Better Forts
- Better (Rail-)Roads
- and many QoL improvements that I think many Players will like

As you may have noticed, I actually have doubled down on the Mechanics that were initially planned (this is slowly becoming a real Expansion lol), but I think this will only contribute to a much better mod overall in the end. And I want to release a Mod that Players will enjoy from the get-go, not just after many updates from Feedback on a half-finished mod. Not saying that I want to release a bug-free and fully balanced mod though, that's nigh impossible .

Anyway, I'm doing my best to finish the 1st Pack ASAP, and to make it as good and enjoyable as I can. And thanks for all your Support and Patience Guys! Bear with me some more Time, I'm sure this will be worth it !!

All of these new mechanics make me ever so excited. Perhaps with the first pack I can finally get the thrill of Roleplaying, since currently the diplomacy is so... Gamey.

 

[Zegangani]

All of these new mechanics make me ever so excited. Perhaps with the first pack I can finally get the thrill of Roleplaying, since currently the diplomacy is so... Gamey.

That's very nice to hear! And yes, the roleplaying part is the major reason why I thought Diplomacy needed some more work.

 

[HktkNban]

Unfortunately this mod project seems to have been abandoned.
But I hope the author will make a good mod in Civ7 or Ara or Millennia.

Civ6 has reached the end of its product life and its modding community is dying.
But on the other hand, many new historical 4X strategy games will rise and their modding will flourish.

 

[Flactine]

The trailer for GTA6 is almost out, when will your mod be available? Even if you show us a few screenshots.

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

The trailer for GTA6 is almost out, when will your mod be available? Even if you show us a few screenshots.

Just relax! Have patience, this project is huge and a one man show.
And even if he is not going to release anything at all… he does not owe you something. Sometimes people seem to forget this unfortunately.